Packaging materials with desired mechanical and barrier properties and full chemical recyclability

Ainara Sangroniz, Jian-Bo Zhu, Xiaoyan Tang, Agustin Etxeberria, Eugene Y.-X. Chen () and Haritz Sardon ()
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Ainara Sangroniz: POLYMAT, Department of Polymer Science and Technology, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU
Jian-Bo Zhu: Colorado State University
Xiaoyan Tang: Colorado State University
Agustin Etxeberria: POLYMAT, Department of Polymer Science and Technology, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU
Eugene Y.-X. Chen: Colorado State University
Haritz Sardon: POLYMAT, Department of Polymer Science and Technology, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU

Nature Communications, 2019, vol. 10, issue 1, 1-7

Abstract: Abstract Plastics have become indispensable in modern life and the material of choice in packaging applications, but they have also caused increasing plastic waste accumulation in oceans and landfills. Although there have been continuous efforts to develop biodegradable plastics, the mechanical and/or transport properties of these materials still need to be significantly improved to be suitable for replacing conventional plastic packaging materials. Here we report a class of biorenewable and degradable plastics, based on copolymers of γ-butyrolactone and its ring-fused derivative, with competitive permeability and elongation at break compared to commodity polymers and superior mechanical and transport properties to those of most promising biobased plastics. Importantly, these materials are designed with full chemical recyclability built into their performance with desired mechanical and barrier properties, thus representing a circular economy approach to plastic packaging materials.

Date: 2019
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-11525-x

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